Federal Grants to Harvard: A Tug of War

Federal research grants previously halted by the Trump administration are being reinstated at Harvard University after a federal judge deemed the cuts illegal. Despite notices from federal agencies, no payments have been made yet. The government plans to appeal the ruling, while President Trump demands financial penance from Harvard.

Harvard University is beginning to see movement on federal grants that the Trump administration had halted, as reinstatement notices trickle in following a judge's ruling that deemed the cuts illegal.

Despite this development, the actual flow of funds remains uncertain as the government prepares to appeal the decision. Harvard's spokesperson, Jason Newton, confirmed that while the reinstatement notices are a positive sign, no payments have been received, and the university is keeping a close watch on funding receipts.

The federal judge ruled in Boston that over $2.6 billion in research funding cuts, initiated in April as a response to Harvard's non-compliance with government demands, were unconstitutional. The cuts had been enmeshed in broader ideological conflicts, with President Trump using the issue as part of his agenda to reshape higher education.

(With inputs from agencies.)